1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector including first and second housings. A lock piece on one housing cooperates with a hooking part on the other housing. A detecting member indicates whether the housings are properly locked together.
2. Description of Background Information
A connector using the motion of a position change of a lock piece in order to detect partial connection of connector housings has been previously proposed. An example is a lever or seesaw type lock piece having a downward projection on a front side of one connector housing. A hooking part adapted to hook the downward projection is provided on the other connector housing. When both housings are fitted together, the downward projection is mounted on the hooking part and the lock piece is pushed in as it swings about a fulcrum. When both housings are properly fitted, the lock piece returns to its original position and is locked by hooking the downward projection on the hooking part. Furthermore, a detecting member is inserted in the bottom side of a rear end of the lock piece, and when both housings are properly connected together, the lock piece returns to its original position and the detecting member can be inserted into an opening at the bottom side of the rear end part. On the other hand, when both housings are only partially fitted together, the detecting member cannot be inserted because the downward projection is mounted on the hooking part and the lock piece swings. Therefore, it is possible to detect an incomplete connection of the housing.
However, this method has disadvantages. For example, when the lock piece is a seesaw or lever, the rear end hangs down if the downward projection on the front end is mounted on the hooking part, but the lock piece itself, which is a synthetic resin having elasticity, becomes bent and does not change its position to extend downward at the rear end. Although it may slightly change its position depending on its shape when it is mounted on the hooking part, the downward projection is kept in an incomplete fitted position or state and the detecting part is under the rear end of the lock piece so that it cannot be detected. Accordingly, this conventional method has not been reliable.